The invention relates to a multifunctional energy-saving system for vehicles, which consists of automatic clutch means disposed in the drive-system of a vehicle and control means for selecting working modes of the multifunctional energy-saving system.
In all conventional modern vehicles, the engine is in rigid connection with driving wheels so long as the clutch pedal is not pressed down and the transmission is not shifted to free position. This results in so-called "converse-driving" when a vehicle is travelling in a coast mode. Here, the term "converse-driving" means the engine is driven by the wheels because of the kinetic energy of the vehicle. Converse driving wastes a large amount of kinetic energy of a vehicle and results in such problems as additional wear, shortened service life and additional fuel consumption of vehicles. Therefore, from the viewpoint of the economy, energy-saving or development of the vehicle industry, it is not only necessary but also very important to solve the above-mentioned problems arising from converse-driving.
The existing solution for converse-driving problems is to reasonably let a vehicle travel in a coast mode by shifting the transmission of the vehicle to free position. Such a solution has, however, not been used extensively or as it should be used, because reasonable coasting of vehicles is limited by quite a few factors and the effect is not satisfactory. Moreover, it is a tax upon the drivers' mind and thereby affects driving safety.
On the other hand, conventional differentials of planetary gear type extensively used in modern vehicles can not prevent the wheels from slipping while on a slippery ground, and the passing ability of a driving wheel equipped with such a differential can considerably decrease and even drop to zero so that the vehicle can not move forward or backward. In order to overcome the drawback of the planetary gear differential, an existing solution is to provide a differential lock. But such a differential can not very well perform anti-slip and differential functions simultaneously. Moreover, the shift between its anti-slip function and its differential function can be made only when the vehicle is stopped. It is not convenient and will increase power loss. Although toothed free-wheel differentials and high-friction differentials of block-and-cam type can prevent from slipping fairly well, they have not been extensively used so far because of their complicated structure and high cost. Problems arising from converse-driving exist in all vehicles equipped with conventional differentials and such a vehicle does not have the function that whenever the vehicle is travelling in a coast mode, the engine can be automatically disengaged from the driving wheels and coasting of the vehicle can be effected automatically.